How To Meditate For A Positive Outlook

Eastern medicine has a more holistic view of disease as indicating a lack of balance or an energy blockage. The solution is to bring the body and mind back into balance using gentle, noninvasive techniques such as herbs, manipulative techniques, movement, or meditation. — Melanie Greenberg Ph.D.

Meditation is famous as one of the most effective strategies that can not only help uplift one’s mood but can also do wonders for your overall state of well-being. In this article, you will learn more about how you can make the most out of meditation for better mental and emotional health. When done correctly, these tips can help you boost your positivity before you know it.

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Initially, perform meditation in a sitting or lying position. Some experts suggest that any position will do as long as the comfort level is achieved; but not too comfortable that can drift one’s consciousness to sleep. A suitable position will provide enough stability to the point that it will not bother changing one’s position in the middle of the meditation. For beginners, a cross-legged sitting position or supine (lying) position are good ways to get started with the meditation.

Focus On Just One Word Or Phrase All Throughout The Session

Doing this will help the mind tune into a single concept that it must think about for the entire session. For beginners, using just one word and focusing on it for the whole of the meditation is the way to go. You do not even have to worry if your mind seems to wander during the session. What is important is that you will still veer towards the word once you realize that you are currently not on track.

Time Your Session If You Are Having Problems With The Duration

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You may use an alarm clock or your smartphone to do this. Just use the countdown feature on the latter. The recommended duration for meditation is around 10 to 15 minutes for the beginners. As you get used to the length, you may progress per week.

Get Rid Of Anything That Can Cause Distractions

In case you cannot do anything to get rid of them entirely, at least minimize them to a considerable and tolerable extent. If you are distracted by bright lights, turn off the lights before you start the session. If you are distracted by noise, minimize it by closing your doors and windows.

I know that pausing and slowing down can help create a sense of calm. I also know that from a place of calm, I’m always better and more effective at managing stress and upcoming tasks. But I often get so swept up in the busyness of life that I forget to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. — Megan MacCutcheon, LPC

As Much As Possible, Meditate With Your Eyes Closed

This is another technique to help you boost your concentration every time you meditate. If you get too sleepy when closing your eyes and lying down, you may assume a sitting position or a standing position with your eyes shut. Make sure that you are still in a stable position while you are at it.

Check If The Room Is Conducive To Meditation

Make sure that the room is not too warm or too cold to stay in. Also, check the lighting if it is too dim or too bright. Once you have all of these figured out, modify these factors according to your preferences.

When meditating, make sure that you will do it in a quiet place, away from distractions. That way, it will be easier for you to focus on the thoughts that you want to direct the meditation session too. Also, do not ever rush your progression when it comes to meditation. This will take time, so you have to be patient.

Some Additional Tips

If you are only beginning this practice, it is understandable that you will drift away or fall asleep. Do not let this stop you from practicing meditation. Some individuals who are already pro in this technique recommends the use of guided meditation where the person listens to a voice-led meditation process. The voiceover or the person commenting on the audio file will help you progress from the start of the meditation process, reaching the deeper phases until the resolution stage.

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Take a light meal or snack before doing meditation. Doing meditation on an empty stomach will lose your focus and divert attention to satisfying one’s hunger before the contemplation process.

Practice deep breathing exercises before starting the meditation process. Meditation entails control of breathing, allowing oxygen to traverse to all parts of the body. There will be phases in the mediation process where the person is asked to hold one’s breath for an extended period. If you are not used to this, it can cause disruptions along the way.

As already mentioned in this article, you need to check the environment where you are doing the meditation session. Make sure that this is free of offensive odors. Prepare the room as conducive to attain peaceful surroundings. Prepare incense candles, lavender or rose oils that can help with calming the mind and body. If you are doing meditation in your bedroom or office, it is best to put no-disturb signage on the door to warn anyone that you are presently doing meditation.

…merely reflecting on how attuned we feel with our daily interactions has been linked with an increase in the experience of positive emotions. — Marianna Pogosyan Ph.D.

Final Words

The internet is laden with many articles and information concerning the positive effects of meditation on physical and psychological dimensions. If done correctly, this technique can genuinely assist in regaining and maintaining overall wellness. When a person is in a better disposition, it can create a domino effect – better social relationships, more productive in school and career or other personal endeavors, and a positive outlook in life is achieved.

Self-love is extremely important. When you love yourself, you are more likely to invest in making yourself happy. — Jacqueline Pearce, MSEd, LMHC